Triceratops Skull in Colorado, USA

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With its three massive horns, a parrot-like beak and an enormous frill that can stretch almost a metre (3 feet) across, the Triceratops skull is one of the largest and most striking in all the land. The horns were probably used by Triceratops to fend off attacks from Tyrannosaurus. A partial Triceratops fossil found in 1997 shows a horn that was bitten right off, with bite marks that match those of Tyrannosaurus. The fossil proves that the horn healed after being bitten, so at least some Triceratops survived these encounters. Puncture marks on fossil frills reveal that male Triceratops used their horns to fight each other, probably to impress females. Many other horned dinosaurs are known to have lived in herds because of a fossil find of many different individuals at the same location. By moving in herds, prey animals can warn each other of danger and reduce their chances of being singled out by a predator. However, Triceratops was unusual in this respect, as their remains are usually found individually, suggesting they may have spent much of their lives alone. The Triceratops frill might have helped to protect its neck, but some specimens show Tyrannosaurus bite marks puncturing the frill, so it wasn't always enough.